THE CAMPUS VISIT:Making the Most of It

Careers and Colleges, Sept, 2000 by Eric Freedman

Think of a campus visit as a test drive. It lets you get a sense of whether a school is right for you.

Do ivy-covered libraries feel cozy or out-of-date? Does the bustle of an elevated train passing a lecture ball feel vibrant or threatening? Although you can't always judge a book by its cover, you often can judge a college by how its academic and social environments feel to you. There's no substitute for a visit because videos, brochures, and off-campus interviews won't ever provide a complete picture of a college.

If you're a college-bound student, you will want to research colleges carefully through catalogs and guides, and start to narrow down the choices that correspond to your interests and qualifications (GPA, test scores, etc.). After some long and hard consideration, you will have a list of top-choice schools that you will want to visit to determine how well each college suits you--whether your top priority is academics or the extracurricular aspects of college life, such as sports.

"The campus visit is your opportunity to test drive the college," says Frank Burtnett, president of Education Now, an educational consulting firm. "You need to put your senses to work. This may be a place where you're spending the next four years, so you better feel comfortable."

Here are suggestions for how to profit most from a college visit--whether it be across the country, across the state, or merely across town.

Plan Ahead

A weekday when school's in session is the best time to see a campus as it really is. If possible, avoid weekends, holidays, and semester breaks. These times may be more convenient for your family, but it's harder to get an interview, take a tour, attend class, talk with students, or spend a night on campus.

Once you have pinpointed a date, sign up to stay in a dorm or housing co-op, fraternity or sorority. Many admission offices will line up a host. If the college can't make such arrangements for you, you may be able to stay with someone who graduated from your own high school and is currently attending the college.

Make long trips efficient by planning several visits along the route. If you plan to drive from New England to a North Carolina college over spring break for instance, schedule visits at other schools--perhaps in New York City, Baltimore, or Washington. That will also give you a better basis to make comparisons.

Mental preparation is vital, too. Read the recruitment material and guidebooks. They will give you an idea of how many students are on campus and what

type of setting (urban, rural, etc.) the school offers. College literature can often answer many of your questions, such as: What academic programs or extracurricular activities does the school offer? What facilities and amenities are provided? How can the college help me overcome financial obstacles?

"Do as much research as possible in advance," says Joyce Smith, executive director of the National

Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). "Don't waste time during your visit. Come with a list of questions that the literature doesn't already answer."

Arrange the Interview

When you know the tentative dates of your college visits, you should call up the admission offices and begin to arrange appointments. Depending on what schools you're applying to, an interview with an admission officer can be a very important part of the admission process. No matter how each college regards the interview, you should try to arrange one at each school. "It's an exchange of information, a dialogue," explains Suzanne Patton, manager of enrollment at Rice University, in Houston. You should schedule interviews as soon as possible because admission officers often have busy schedules too full for drop-in appointments.

Note that you may be required to bring copies of your transcript and test scores, so consult with your high school guidance office about getting these.

Although one interview with an admission officer is most common, you may want to arrange others--with a financial aid officer, a specific professor, or a coach. Also, ask the admission office to suggest classes in your fields of interest that you can sit in on.

Tour the Campus

Don't zip in and out of the admission office and then head home. Take a tour to get an overview of the campus and a student's perspective of the school.

Tour guides are generally enthusiastic undergrads with a wealth of information you won't find in recruitment brochures. They offer a unique combination of personal experience and anecdotes about friends and professors.

Some colleges offer specialized tours that may cover the library, sports facilities, research labs, performing arts centers, or horticultural gardens. Ask whether a specific tour is scheduled or can be arranged.

Check Out Classes

College teaching styles differ from the style at most high schools. The admission office can provide a list of appropriate classes, ranging from large introductory lectures to small, advanced seminars. Let the admission office know what subjects most interest you and if there are particular professors you'd most like to see in action. By attending a class or two, you can at least get a taste of the academic atmosphere. Feel free before or after the class to introduce yourself to the professor as a college applicant and ask questions about the course.